Why Joel Makower Is Optimistic About The Future Of Green Business

Joel Makower grew up in California and graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in journalism. He worked as a journalist and nationally syndicated columnist and is a prolific author, with more than a dozen books published, including the oral history of the Woodstock music festival, a book that Rolling Stone called “the definitive history of the mega-event.” He has focused on the environment for more than 20 years and is a well-respected speaker, writer and consultant on all things green business including regular appearances on NPR’s “Marketplace” as a commentator. Joel is the chairman and executive editor of the GreenBiz Group and founder of GreenBiz.

I have been a fan of Joel’s writing for as long as I’ve been reading environmental news and commentary. His book “Beyond The Bottom Line” was one of the first green business books I read and was a major influence in how I see the intersection between business and environment. I’m thrilled that he so kindly took the time to answer these seven questions.

MNN: Does the world need saving?Joel Makower: The world doesn’t need saving — it will endure long after we’ve clearcut the last tree, poisoned the last breathable air, and extinguished the last endangered species: us. What needs saving is humans’ ability to lead happy and fulfilling lives in harmony with the planet. Of course, parsing what it means to be “happy and fulfilling” is the beginning of a really interesting conversation. Over the past few decades, we in the developed world have been taught to believe that the latest, greatest stuff — and lots of it — will make us fulfilled and content. But that hasn’t been the case — in fact, studies show that we’re less fulfilled and content than ever.

So, it’s us that needs saving. We need to rediscover a sense of balance and well-being in our homes and communities that is defined in part on our comfort and well-being, but also by our connections to one another and the pleasure that they bring. We need to reconnect with — or simply meet — our neighbors. We need a culture based on the growth of happiness, not the growth of stuff. We need to create a culture of sharing what we own — what some call “collaborative consumption.” We need companies — both incumbents and start-ups — to step up to the challenge with bold new and innovative products, services and business models. We need everyone’s good ideas.

What’s the difference between green and greener? They’re both words that have no definition, at least in the environmental realm, so it’s all in the eye of the beholder. By my reckoning, the former is a destination while the latter implies a process. And since there really are few absolutely green products, the latter word, greener, is probably a more apt adjective. That’s why on GreenBiz, we named three of our channels “GreenerDesign,” “GreenerComputing” and “GreenerBuildings” — because there really is no absolutely green design, IT technology, or building — only those that are greener than others.

As I said, they’re just words, but words matter. A great many people — consumers, companies, activists, and those of us who communicate to them — have been grappling with what words to use. “Green” vs. “greener” is just one example. “Green” versus “sustainable” is another. The S-word is more comprehensive, covering social equity as well as environmental issues, but it’s often used inaccurately as a synonym for “environmental.” And no one has come up with a good alternative to either (and several have tried). This conversation likely will continue for some time.

What’s the biggest single impediment to a truly sustainably world? In a word: Change.

Change is hard — whether for individuals, families, companies, activists or politicians. And as much as segments of each of these constituencies may want to see action in addressing our serious environmental challenges, far fewer want to change. Oh, they may say they do, but when it comes time to take action, people overwhelmingly stick to what they know. As I’ve often said: When it comes to change, people love the noun but hate the verb. They want change without changing.

The problem is that most of the changes we’re being asked to make — buy something different, buy less, change habits, transform business operations, or pass new and different laws — don’t typically benefit us individually, at least not in the short term. They have longer-term benefits to society as a whole. And as much as we may know in our hearts that these are the right things to do for our family and future, we’d still rather not be bothered. So, people do a few, largely symbolic things — change a light bulb, recycle, bring a reusable bag to the market — and feel that they’ve done their part. These are all good gestures, of course, but hardly sufficient to solve the problems at hand.

What’s needed is an understanding that “green” succeeds only to the extent that “green” = “better.” Of course, “better” can be defined in dozens of ways: cheaper to buy, cheaper to own, more convenient, higher performance, higher aesthetic, healthier for my family, durable, less wasteful, cooler for my image, among many others. Unfortunately, a lot of the changes we’re being asked to make, including products we “should” be buying, aren’t better. They cost more, are harder to find, don’t work as well, require us to do things differently — and some of the claims, such as being healthier for humans, aren’t always believable, or must be taken on faith.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.